Yarn-steamer.



w. IIIIFFMAN.

YARN STEAIVIER1 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3o, m4.

Patented Maylll, 1918.

WILLIAMpHOFFMAN, 0F BLOOMISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND 'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE MAGEE CARP-ET co., oF ,331.oo1vrsisune,y `rnnixrs'vn- VANIA, ,A CORPORATION or rEivNsYLvANIA.

YARN-STEAMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application nled September 30, 1914. .Serial No. 864,394.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be yit known that I, WILLIAM HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bloomsburg, `Columbia county, Pennsylvania, have invented YYarn-Steamers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved apparatus particularly designed for steaming dyed yarn to set the dye, one obj ectof said invention being to Eprovide a steamer in which all of the yarn is subjected to the same pressure and ythe steam supply is kept constant in yorder .to cause the dye to set evenly and to prevent'the varied and blurred shades of yarn produced when these conditions are not fulfilled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a steamer which shall be automatic in its opera-tion and thus avoid the necessity for the attendant heretofore employed to regulate the steam supply,

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying dravving in which,

The figure is a. sectional elevation of my invention.

In the above drawing, 1 is the steaming tank which may be of any suitable construction being shown as a hollow cylindrical structure permanently closed at one end and having a door 2 at the opposite end to vpermit of the insertion and removal of trucks or cars holding the yarn to be steamed.

For the purpose of supplying steam to the f interior of the tank 1, I provide a pipe 3 which after passing through its closed end bends downwardly and continues in a section Li for substantially the entire length of the tank adjacent its bottom. This section has relatively small outlet openings in its upper portion designed to deliver steam throughout the Whole length of the tank. A pipe 5 enters the top'of the tankl 1 and leads to a weighted valve 6 which is employed both as a safety valve, so as to release any abnormal pressure in the tank, as a blow olf valve. This valve is so constructed as to permit free communication between the interior of the tank and a diaphragm casing 8, through a conduit 7. This latter includes a Water sealed trap 9 for preventing flow of steam to the casing 8. The diaphragm in thislatter acts through arod l0 upon a lever 11 fulcrumed at 12 .to la Y suitable lng ,13 l,projecting fromsaidcasing. L

The .lever 11 isconnected through a ,link 18 with anarm 19 attached to avalve 14 in, thek main steamsupply pipe ,3 so that a movement of saidlarm in onedirection V.Will

reduce or out ofi' lthe steam supply, (While the kmovement in the oppositel direction opens said valveto increase the amount yof steam passing' through tliep'ipe 3 intoy the tank. The lever 11 carries an adjustable Weight l5 whereby the apparatus may be set to cause actuation of the valve 14 whenever a predetermined pressure exists in the casing 8 and hence in the tank. Different pressures may therefore be maintained Within the tank 1 by properly moving this Weight and for any given pressure steam Will be delivered at a substantially constant rate.

In addition to maintaining a constant supply of steam to the tank 1 my invention provides means for causing a circulation of the live steam Within said tank, and in addition prevents condensation of the steam to a large extent. This means consists of a bleeding conduit or pipe 16 leading from the top of the tank 1 at or immediately adjacent the middle, and avalve 17 is mounted in said pipe 16 for regulating the amount of steam escaping to suit different conditions either as to the character of the yarn being steamed o-r to the amount of steam entering the tank 1. The pipe 16 may open directly into the atmosphere or into a condenser and is preferably of a. diameter considerably smaller than that of the supply pipe 3 and of the aggregate openings in said pipe. It

rrion y may however be of any diameter and the valve 17 may be regulated to allow the proper amount of steam to escape.

In order to remove any Water which may condense in the bottom portion of the tank 1, I provide an outlet pipe having a water seal or trap 20, Whose inner end is substantially flush with the bot-tom of the tank 1, While its outer end is lower than said tank. A valve 2l is connected in said outlet pipe and serves to regulate the amount of Water discharged.

In using my invention the racks of yarn are placed in the tank 1, in such position that all of the yarn is above the perforations or outlets of the pipe so that the steam passing upwardly in the tank will penetrate the Yskeins of yarn. After the yarn is in positionythe door 2 is closed and steam is admitted through the pipe 3. When the pressure in the tank 1 rises to the predetermined point for which the regulator 8-10-11 is set, as determined by the position oil the Weight 15, the 'rod 10 and lever 11 is raised thus partially `or Wholly closing the valve 14 through the link 18 and arm 19. The pressure in the tank is thus prevented ironi rising higher and is maintained at the predetermined point by the automatic operation above noted,

The pipe 16 allows a continuous escape oita the steanirroin the tank 1 so that the latter is kept atea relatively high temperature by the continuous supply of live steam from the pipe 3. rhis feature is particularly valuable since'eondensation of the steam Within the tank is in a great measure prevented and there is an active circulation of the steam epiea et ing a Water sealed trap connecting said casing' to the tank; a weighted lever actuated bythe diaphragm of said casing; and

ineans for connecting said lever to the valve operating arni of the steam pipe; with a bleeding conduit; and a valve in saidconduit for regulating the amount of steam escaping therethroughv In testimony whereof, I have signed iny naine to this specication, in the presence ot' tivo subscribing Twitnesses.

lVlLLlAll/ HOFFl/AN.

"Witnesses AUGUSTUS B. Corrns, J os. H. KLEIN.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, t3. 

